Willimantic, Conn. – Eastern Connecticut State University’s largest and most successful career fair in recent years took place on April 1 in the Student Center. More than 400 students attended the event, which featured representatives from more than 70 local and national companies and organizations.
The fair connected students to full-time jobs, internships and opportunities to work abroad. The companies and organizations ranged from Connecticut public school systems to the Armed Forces, software firms to insurance companies, the FBI to the Peace Corps, newspapers to Six Flags, with two additional rooms dedicated to nonprofits.
“I’m here to explore all the opportunities my major can be applied to,” said Zach Marotte, a senior majoring in history. “I know that it’s not so much about the major you choose, but how you apply it.”
Clifford Marrett, director of the Center for Internship and Career Development, said, “It’s been a couple years since our last career fair, so we worked hard to make this a big one with a variety of employers. We especially focused on having employers that applied to all of the majors offered at Eastern.”
The Student Center’s Betty R. Tipton Room and two additional conference rooms were teeming with students dressed in professional attire, trading freshly written resumes—some of which were fine-tuned at the “Resumania” event on March 31—for business cards and brochures from company representatives.
“I’m poor, I need money and as of May I’ll be unemployed,” said Rachel Junga, a senior majoring in psychology. “I’m going to hand my resume to and follow up with the FBI, Mohegan Sun and Ticket Network.”
One of the career fair’s sponsors was software-provider company RMI, which was represented by ’12 Eastern graduate Stephanie Armagno, who majored in theatre and now works as a staff consultant. “I love my job and we’re looking to hire more full-time people,” said Armagno. “Some of my work includes customer service, trouble shooting and leading trainings.”